Trunk-brace.



No. 652,473. Patented June 26, I900. A. A; COLE.-

TRUNK BRAGE.

(Application filed Jan. 10, 1900.)

I (No Model.)

INVENTOR dz/4W a 0 ATTORNEY! WITNESSES I us ca. Pun-mum ALLAN A. COLE,OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRUNK- -BRACEJ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,473,dated June 26, 1900. Application filed January 10, 1900. Serial No. 919.(No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLAN A. COLE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of New York city, in the State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk-Braces, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in trunk-braces. It is intendedmore particularly to provide a convenient and substantial means ofbracing a trunk with straps or equivalent binding devices in such formthat the trunk will be substantially supported. or braced and at thesame time providing means by which the brace may be securely fixed tothe trunk to prevent its removal therefrom and yet permitting an easyreleasing of the brace when it is desired to have access to the I trunk.

I have illustrated my inventionin the accompanying drawings, designatingthe parts by numerals, referring to like parts by like numerals.

Figure 1 is a plan of the top of the trunk with my brace applied. Fig. 2is a plan of the bottom of the trunk with my brace applied. Fig. 3 is aplan of a plate, referred to as a fixed plate. Fig. 4is a section of thesame secured to the top of the trunk, and Fig. 5 is a plan of what Iterm the free plate.

1 is the trunk, having a top 2 and bottom 3.

2 is the front of the trunk.

4 is a plate,preferably stamped out of metal,

having a central right-angular aperture 5 and having fourright-angularly-disposed apertures, as 6, 7, 8, and 9. the portion ofthe plate stamped out toform these apertures, as at 10, to form a lip,upon which the straps hereinafter to be described may operate withoutinjury to the same.

11 is a bolt with a head. 12 is a nut for the same.

13 is a washer.

The plate 4 is secured to the top of the trunk 2 by introducing the boltll'through the right-angular hole 5, through the washer l3, and througha hole in the top of the trunk 2, and it is secured to the top ofthetrunk by the nut 12. I secure permanently to one side of this plate4, as through the aperture 6, a strap 19, as at 20. I pass this strap 19around I prefer to turn over the body of the trunk and through theapertures 15 and 16 of the free plate 14. ThenI secure to the strap 19at a suitable distance from the end thereof a buckle 21, the bucklebeing of a size to prohibit the withdrawal of the strap through theapertures of the plate 14. I then pass the end of the strap through theaperture 8 and return the same through the buckle 21, in which it issecured. I then pass the strap 22 through the apertures 17 and 18 of thefree plate 14 and secure to said strap at a suitable distance from theend thereof two buckles, as 23 and 23, the same being of a size toprohibit the withdrawal of the strap through said apertures 17 and 18. Ithen introduce the ends of said straps respectively through theapertures 7 and 9 and return the same through their respective buckles,through which they are properly secured. It will be seen that by thisdevice the trunk is bound around its body and its length.

7 The brace may be readily released by releasing the three buckles 21,23, and 23 and throwing the same back. The lid of the trunk may beopened without interference from the brace, and the brace will remainintact and cannot be removed from the trunk without releasing the nut12, for it will be understood that the plate tis secured to the lid ofthe trunk by the bolt 11, the strap 19 is secured to the plate 4, andthe straps 19 and 20 intersect the plate 14 and may not be withdrawntherefrom by reason of the size of the buckles 21, 23, and 23.

What I claim is- 1. A trunk-brace consisting of two straps and twoplates, the plates having right-angularly-disposed slots therein toreceive said straps, one of said plates being fixed to the top of thetrunk, and one strap secured to the side of said fixed plate nearest theback of the trunk, and passing around the trunk through two of the slotsin the other plate, a buckle secured to said strap near the end thereof;the base of the buckle being of a size to prevent the strap from beingwithdrawn through the slots in said plate, said strap being adapted topass through the slot of said fixed plate nearest the front of thetrunk, and to be secured within said buckle; another strap passedthrough said slots in said free plate, said straps being provided withbuckles secured thereto near the end thereof, said buckles being of asize to prevent the withdrawal of said strap from said plate, the freeends of said strap being adapted to pass through the opposite slots ofthe fixed plate, and to be secured Within their respective buckles,substantially as described.

2. As a trunk-brace, the combination with a trunk of a fixed platehaving four right-angularly-disposed apertures to form bearing slots forstraps, and a central square aperture to receive a bolt, and a bolt andnut to secure said plate to the lid of said trunk, a free plate havingfour right-angular apertures, a strap permanently secured to one side ofsaid fixed plate and passed around the body of the trunk through two ofthe slots in said free plate, said strap having a buckle permanentlysecured thereto after the same has passed through the slots in said freeplate at a suitable point to permit the end of the strap to pass throughthe aperture in the opposite side of the fixed plate from that to whichthe same strap is fixed, and to be secured Within said buckle, a secondstrap passed through the slots-in said free plate at right angles to thestrap, first described, said strap having buckles permanently securedthereto after the same has passed through said apertures in said freeplate, said buckles being attached at suitable points to permit the endsof the strap to pass through the opposite apertures in said fixed plate,and to be returned and buckled into said buckles respectively, thebuckles secured to the straps being of a size to prohibit the Withdrawalof the straps through the slots oi the free plate,

substantially as described.

Signed by me at New York, county and State of New York, this 4th'day ofJanuary, 1900. 40

ALLAN A. COLE. Witnesses:

ALMET R. LATSON, THOMAS P. DALTON.

